on which Emma would row her hero, around which
the small Horatia played, in which Charlotte and
Horatio fished; while on its banks Nelson planted a
mulberry-tree that Emma fondly vaunted would rival
Shakespeare's. Goldsmid's Georgian house still
stands; but Merton Place has vanished into the vista
of crumbled yet unforgotten things. The ancient
church, however, though enlarged and well restored,
is much the same. Its churchyard still shows familiar
names Thomas Bowen, and the Smiths who were to
be poor Emma's last befrienders. In the south aisle
is a picture attributed to Luca Giordano whose name
380
EMMA, LADY HAMILTON 381
must have recalled Naples to Hamilton. The very
bench on which they sat is still kept in the vestry. The hatchment with Nelson's bearings, which Emma presented after Trafalgar, still hangs in the nave. The
fine old house " Church House " which they must have passed so often, still fronts the church porch.
Even when they were there, the famous Priory where
the great Becket was educated, and round which Mer-
ton's feudal memories clustered, had been replaced by
calico factories. How eagerly must Nelson have
awaited a glimpse even of these, when he drove up
along the Portsmouth road for his last brief sojourn in
the home of his heart; how wistfully must he have
passed them, when the door clicked to, and off he
rattled to eternity!
The two snakes in the grass of " Paradise " Merton were lavishness and, as it would seem, its contrast,
Greville.
Nelson's liberality was as unbounded as abused;
even his skin-flint brother William begged him to re-
frain in his own favour. Applications rained from
all quarters. A Yorkshireman wrote and said he
would be pleased to receive 300. " Are these peo-
ple mad ? " sighed the hero, " or do they take me quite for a fool?" He was always bestowing handsome
presents, while for his many regular benefactions, he
had sometimes to draw on Davison. And Emma's
open-handedness was not far behindhand. She scat-
tered broadcast to her relations, to the poor, deserv-
ing or the reverse. The Connors soon began to prey
on her anticipated means. Money burned a hole in
her pocket, and she never stopped to think of the
future. Before the year closed she left a note from
Coutts for her husband on her toilet-table to the ef-
fect that her ladyship's balance was now twelve shil-
382 EMMA, LADY HAMILTON
lings. Greville must have shuddered when his uncle
forwarded it to him. " Sensibility " was always overdrawing its banking account, and " Nature " continually forestalling expectations. Added to largesse was
some extravagance, but not to the degree that has
often been put forward : it was by no means enor-
mous, and in these days might be considered normal
for her husband's position. Emma was in a holiday
mood. Hamilton would not brace himself to the real
retrenchment of giving up the London house, nor
would Emma forego superfluities. Merton, though
with intervals of quiet, became open house. Nelson's
sisters, with their families the Boltons with six, the
Matchams with eight, his brother, still hunting for
preferment, with his " precious " Charlotte, and little Horatio, the heir; old naval friends, including "poor little fatherless Fady," whom, it will be remembered, Emma tended in 1798. Emma's kindred, Italian singers, the theatrical and musical Mrs. Lind, Mrs. Billing-
ton, and Mrs. Denis; " Old Q." from Richmond, Wol-cot the satirist, Hayley from Felpham, Dr. Fisher from
Doctors' Commons; Admiralty big-wigs, disgusted of-
ficials, noisy journalists, foreign bearers of Nelson's
decorations, the Abbe Campbell, Prince Castelcicala
the Neapolitan ambassador, the Marquis Schinato,
Maria Carolina's own son, Prince Leopold all were
indiscriminately welcomed. It was a menagerie. The
Tysons, too, were now at Woolwich, and to them,
as Nelson's attached adherents, Emma was all atten-
tion. She chaperoned their young people to balls.
She healed their conjugal differences : Mrs. Tyson was
never so happy as at Merton, when her dear husband
was restored to her, and she could at last " take the sacrament with a composed mind" and " bless
dear Lady Hamilton." Benevolence, hospitality, and
racket each mingled in the miscellany, and all of them
EMMA, LADY HAMILTON 383
tended to outrun the constable. The cellar was stocked
with wine, and perhaps included some of those large
gifts from foreign potentates to which a reference is
made in the Life of the Reverend Dr. Scott. How-
ever that may be, when Emma's affairs were liquidated
seven years later, the valuation of the cellar amounted
to no less than two thousand pounds.
Nelson, who had protested against large gatherings,
affected to enjoy Liberty Hall ; all that his Emma com-
manded was exemplary. And, indeed, as appears from
the accounts preserved in the Morrison autographs, the
profusion was far greater in London, allowing for the
expenditure of both houses. The joint weekly ex-
penses at Merton were often no higher than some 30.
Hamilton, however, whose own extravagance con-
tributed, though he justified it by hopes from Adding-
ton, soon began to murmur. Greville, the monitor,
was at his elbow. The heir's prospects were being
imperilled by that very Emma whose thrift he had
first inculcated and extolled; it was too bad; he must
protect his old uncle, who protested to him that only
fear of an " explosion " which might destroy his best friend's comfort stopped his rebellion against the
" nonsense " that invaded his quiet. Before the year was out he even meditated an amicable separation. He
did not complain ; he still loved her. But he could not
but perceive that her whole time and attention were
bestowed on Nelson and " his interest." Therefore (and here Greville's voice appears to recur), after his
hard fag at Naples, at his waning age, and under the
circumstances, a wise and well-concerted separation
might be preferable to " nonsense " and silly alterca-tions. He had not long to live, and " every moment
was precious " to him. He only wanted to be left
alone at Staines, or Christie's, the Tuesday Club, the
Literary Society, and the British Museum. " Nestor "
384 EMMA, LADY HAMILTON
continued a philosopher. They might still get on well
enough apart, or together, if Emma would but consult
the comfort of a worn-out diplomatist and virtuoso:
" I am arrived at the age when some repose is really necessary, and I promised myself a quiet home, and
although I was sensible, and I said so when I married,
that I should be superannuated when my wife would be
in her full beauty and vigour of youth ; that time is arrived, and we must make the best of it for the comfort
of both parties." He " well knew " the " purity of Lord Nelson's friendship " for them both. Nelson
was their best friend, and it would pain him deeply t
o
disturb his life or hurt his feelings. " There is no time for nonsense or trifling. I know and admire your
talents and many excellent qualities, but I am not
blind to your defects, and confess having many
myself; therefore, let us bear and forbear, for God's
sake."
The voice of this last appeal is that of the kindly old
epicurean, and not of the calculating cynic. Emma,
erring Emma, responded to it, and peace was restored
for the few months remaining. So far, our entire
sympathy must be with the worried and injured Ham-
ilton. But ere this his necessities, and the cunning use to which his nephew seems to have put them, had
prompted a plan which must lower him in our estima-
tion.
As a rule, when Greville was asked (and he often
was) to Merton, he politely excused himself. So
anxious was Sir William for his presence that he actu-
ally assured him of Nelson's " love," whereas Nelson, as we know, misliked the cold-blooded caster-off of his
paragon. Greville, however, perpetually sent his
warmest messages to the whole party, including his old
acquaintance Mrs. Cadogan. With Greville, by hook
or crook, a strange scheme was now to be concocted.
EMMA, LADY HAMILTON 385
Failing the princely aid of the previous spring, i bar-
gain after his own heart was being revived.
It will be recollected that Beckford, wearied of soli-
tary magnificence, had offered Sir William a large an-
nuity if he could induce royalty to grant a peerage to
Hamilton with a reversion to himself. The Marquis of
Douglas, heir of the ninth Duke of Hamilton and head
of the clan, had shown symptoms of attachment to
Euphemia, Beckford's daughter, whom in the end he
married. If this attachment could be played upon for
the purpose by the wary diplomatist, Beckford's object
and Hamilton's might be secured. For such a plum
Beckford now proposed a life annuity of 2000 that his
kinsman might maintain the dignity of the peerage,
and after his death one of 500 to Emma ; while, as a
bribe to ministers, Beckford's " two sure seats " were to be at their disposal.
Hamilton opened his mind the more freely to his
" dear Marquis " on this " delicate " business since there existed a " very remarkable sympathy between
them." Beckford had actually sent his West India
agent to Merton for the management of this affair.
Sir William ridiculed the mere notion of himself covet-
ing such empty honours. He might, however, be use-
ful to his friends, and no eclat need attend the transaction. Beckford had " strong claims on Government."
An idea had struck Hamilton that the Marquis might
one day be intimately connected with the Fonthill fam-
ily. He did not demand definite answers; he was
" sensible of its being a delicate point," yet he could not help flattering himself that " the good Duke of H. and myself would readily undertake anything for Emma's
and my advantage, provided it could be done sans vous
compromettre trop." The Marquis promptly answered
his kinsman's " very kind and confidential letter from Merton " by a gentle refusal. He found town very
386 EMMA, LADY HAMILTON
empty, but a select few, his books, papers, and pic-
tures, contented him. As to the matter in hand, it was,
he feared, quite impracticable. With regard to his
own inclinations, "any symptoms of any sort. 'which might have ' appeared in any part of his family " were unknown to and unencouraged by him. Hamilton
must convey every kind expression to Lord Nelson and
Lady Hamilton; to himself he need not name his re-
gard, and he was and ever should be his affectionate
friend.
Poor " Nestor " ! To this pass have art and ambassadorship brought him. And, alas, poor Emma,
that she, too, should enlist her Nelson in such a
service !
This disappointment happened in the summer, but in
the spring an event occurred which cast real gloom over
the Merton household. In April died, at his favourite
Bath, the well-loved father, that kindly, upright Eng-
lish clergyman, whom his great son fondly cherished,
and whom he had actually wished to be a permanent
inmate of the household. Nelson's health immediately
grew worse. His first care, however, was for others,
for his brother and sisters and his father's old man-
servant. Condolences poured in upon him; nor was
Emma the least grief -stricken, for this truly Christian soul had treated her with chivalrous charity, had wholly refrained from cruel speculations, and had rather
sought to raise the thoughts of this strange incomer
into Horatio's life. While the brother flattered for
gain, while every application for Nelson's favour came
through her, she had known and felt that Nelson's
father, who refused to realise the truth, was wholly
good as well as godly. She was in London at the
time, and what she wrote has not survived. Sir Will-
iam's letter has. It is characteristic of his " philosophy " that of " the best of all possible worlds " : EMMA, LADY HAMILTON 387
PICCADILLY, April 28, 1802.
". . . Emma says I must write a letter to you of
condolence for the heavy loss your lordship has suf-
fered. When persons in the prime of life are carried
off by accident or sickness or what is, I believe,
oftener the case, by the ignorance and mistakes of the
physicians then, indeed, there is reason to lament.
But, as in the case of your good father, the lamp was
suffered to burn out fairly, and that his sufferings were not great; and that by his son's glorious and unparalleled successes, he saw his family ennobled, and with
the probability in time of its being amply rewarded,
as it ought to have been long ago his mind could not
be troubled, in his latter moments, on account of the
family he left behind him. And as to his own peace
of mind at the moment of his dissolution, there can be
no doubt, among those who ever had the honour of his
acquaintance. . . ."
Before the blow, however, had fallen that sad-
dened Merton, a dinner and musical party was given
at which Braham, who was afterwards to sing, amid
furore, the " Death of Nelson," performed.
Nelson had much offended a society that longed to
lionise him by sequestering himself from it altogether.
Except at the assemblies of the Hamiltons' friends, he
seldom figured at all, and the outraged Lady Nelson's
advocates added this to their weightier reproaches
against the " horrid " woman at Merton. He preferred even Bohemian routs to the solemnities of
Downing Street or the frivolities of Mayfair, though
he disliked all gatherings but those of intimate friends.
Among the guests of this evening was their old ac-
quaintance Lord Minto, formerly of Vienna. He was
disgusted at the interior with its trophies and por-
traits, but, above all, with Emma herself. Doubtless
Memoirs Vol. 14 13
388 EMMA, LADY HAMILTON
the sight of him put her in her most self-assertive vein.
The reader must form his own judgment; but at any
rate the censor, in this record, seems mistaken in sup-
posing that the Hamiltons were " living on " Nelson.
The Merton accounts in the Morrison Collection prove
that all expenses were scrupulously shared. And when
he brands Emma's effusiveness to Nelson as flattery,
what would he have said had he been able, as we are,
to read Nelson's own outpourings to Emma? If hers
was " flattery," then still more was his. But diplomats are not psychologists, nor have they always insight into such emotional temperaments.
". . . The whole establishment and way of life is
such as to make me angry as well as melancholy; but I
cannot alter it. I do not think myself obliged or at
liberty to quarrel with him for his weakness, though
nothing shall ever induce me to give the smallest
countenance to Lady Hamilton. She looks eventually
to the chance of marriage. ... In the meanwhile, she,
Sir William, and the whole set of them are living with
him at his expense. She is in high looks, but more
immense than ever. She goes on cramming Nelson
with trowelfuls of flattery, which he goes on taking as
quietly as a child does pap. The love she makes to
him is not only ridiculous, but disgusting. Not only
the rooms, but the whole house, staircase and all, are
covered with nothing but pictures of her and him, of all sizes and sorts, and representations of his naval actions, coats of arms, pieces of plate in his honour, the flag-staff of L J Orient, etc., an excess of vanity which coun-teracts its own purpose. If it was Lady H.'s house,
there might be a pretence for it. To make his own
a mere looking-glass to view himself all day is bad
taste. Braham, the celebrated Jew singer, performed
with Lady H. She is horrid, but he entertained me
in spite of her. Lord Nelson explained to me a little
EMMA, LADY HAMILTON 389
the sort of blame imputed to Sir Hyde Parker for Co-
penhagen. . . ."
It was certainly a queer household for seemly self-
importance to enter. Without question, there was
warrant for worse than such superficial strictures as
those in which Elliot here indulged. Emma had deteri-
orated, and she had never fitted the formalities of
English drawing-rooms. Average folk, as will be
seen hereafter, she charmed. But the guest, though
naturally affronted, was likely to be prejudiced.
Full text of Memoirs of Emma, lady Hamilton, the friend of Lord Nelson and the court of Naples; Page 44